Case Description:

Railroad Conductor Trainee suffers back injuries

Court/Date:

Portsmouth, Virginia, 2005

Facts:

A CSX railroad employee, working as a conductor trainee, was riding on the side of a railroad car in Portsmouth, Virginia. A truck pulled onto the track in front of the train.  The crash between the train and the truck knocked the conductor off the side of the car, causing back injuries to the conductor employee.  Francis Hajek represented the conductor and tried the case in Portsmouth, Virginia.  The conductor for CSX railroad was unable to return to work on the railroad but did obtain other full-time employment earning more than she had earned on the railroad.  The defendant trucking company defended the case by arguing that the injury had healed and there was no loss of income in the future.

Trial:

Francis Hajek used a vocational expert witness to prove that the conductor’s future income potential was significantly affected by her injury and that the conductor had lost earning capacity in the future.

Verdict/Settlement:

The jury returned a verdict in favor of our client in the amount of $650,000.  Prior to trial, the trucking company had insisted that the case was only worth around $30,000.  Francis Hajek took the case to trial to obtain fair compensation for his client.